Practicing monks in the lineage of
Ãcariya Mun tend to prefer living in mountains and
forests. Leading the way in this life-style himself,
Ãcariya Mun encouraged all his disciples to do the
same. By nature, he was fond of praising the virtues
of life in the wilds. He said the reason he
preferred such places was that knowledge and
understanding of Dhamma was much more likely to
arise while he lived in remote forest areas than
while staying in congested ones. Crowded, congested
places are hardly conducive to calm and contentment
in the practice of Dhamma. Even the Dhamma that his
disciples are teaching today was earned practicing
at the threshold of death in that same wilderness
environment.

In the physical sense, Ãcariya Mun
died many years ago. Nevertheless, disciples of his
who naturally possess the meditative ability to
perceive such phenomena still regularly experience
visual images of him arising spontaneously in their
meditation, just as if he were still alive. Should
one of them experience a problem in his practice, a
visual image of Ãcariya Mun will appear to him while
he is meditating, demonstrating effective ways to
solve the problem. He appears to be sitting there in
person giving advice, much in the same way that past
Arahants came and instructed him on the various
occasions I mentioned earlier. When a monk, whose
practice has reached a certain level, finds a
specific problem that he cannot solve himself, a
visual image of Ãcariya Mun appears and advises him
on that very question, and then disappears on its
own. After that, the monk takes the teaching that
Ãcariya Mun has given him, analyzes it carefully and
uses it to the best of his ability. And thus he
gains new insights in his meditation practice.

Those monks who are naturally
inclined to perceive external phenomena possess the
necessary psychic ability to receive such advice on
their practice. This is known as ‘listening to
Dhamma by way of nimittas appearing in meditation’.
That is, the teacher presents his teaching in the
form of a nimitta, while the disciple understands
that teaching as he perceives the nimitta. This may
seem rather mysterious to those who have never heard
about it or experienced it for themselves. Some
people may reject such psychic communication out of
hand as being sheer nonsense; but in truth, it does
occur. Practicing monks having a natural psychic
inclination perceive various external phenomena in
the same manner. However, this talent is not shared
by all practicing monks. Rather, individuals
possessing this capability are special cases,
meaning they have previously developed the specific
virtuous qualities suited to such psychic
achievements.. For instance, the Buddha and the
Arahants appeared in Ãcariya Mun’s meditation as
nimittas, so he was able to hear their teachings in
that way. Similarly, disciples of Ãcariya Mun, who
possessed similar psychic tendencies, were able to
perceive nimittas of him, or of the Buddhas and the
Arahants, and so hear their teachings. In principle,
it can be compared to the nimitta that the Lord
Buddha used to teach his mother when she resided in
the Tãvatiÿsa heavenly realm. But the Lord Buddha
constitutes a very exceptional case, one which
people consent to believe in far more readily than
that of someone less exalted, even though both share
the same causal basis – which makes it difficult to
further elaborate on this matter.

Being reluctant to write any more on
this subject, I leave it up to those practicing
meditation to discover this knowledge for themselves
– paccattaÿ – which is better than relying on
someone else’s explanation, and far more certain as
well. I am wholly convinced of this. No matter what
is being discussed, without having the ability to
perceive such things directly with our own senses,
we will be reluctant to simply rely on another
person’s description of them. Although that person
may provide us with accurate information, there will
always be certain aspects that we are bound to doubt
or take exception to, notwithstanding the fact that
the person is compassionately explaining the matter
to us with a pure heart. The problem is: we ordinary
people are not pure ourselves so we tend to balk at
what we hear, hesitant to accept someone else’s
judgment. So it is better that we experience these
things for ourselves. Only then can we truly accept
their validity. Then we needn’t annoy others with
our remonstrations. As the Buddha said: All of us
must accept the consequences of our own actions. We
shoulder the burden of pain and suffering and enjoy
the fruits of happiness that we have created for
ourselves. This is absolutely right and beautifully
simple too.

THE STORY OF ÃCARIYA MUN is a
splendid story. Beginning from the time he was still
in lay life, he demonstrated the characteristics of
a true sage. Always conducting himself in a safe,
steady manner, he was never known to have caused any
disgrace or undue trouble to his parents or
relatives. Having ordained as a monk, he strove
relentlessly to develop firm principles within
himself and so became a spiritual refuge to monks,
novices, and lay people for the rest of his long
life. He was a man whose life was a bright, shining
example from beginning to end – a life of virtue
that should definitely be considered an excellent
model for people in this day and age. His meditation
methods were extremely rigorous, his spiritual
development of the highest caliber. The kilesas
never had a chance to overrun his heart, for he
systematically destroyed them until not a single one
remained. So much so that he was acknowledged by his
close disciples and those revering him to be a
present-day Arahant.

The spiritual benefits that he
bestowed upon the world were always in line with the
principles of mindfulness and wisdom – from the
initial stages of practice to the very highest
level, his teaching never deviated from the true way
of Dhamma. Internally, he was very astute at judging
the character and temperament of his students.
Externally, he was very clever in the way he gave
assistance to people in every strata of society,
from simple hill tribes people to urban
intellectuals. Even when nearing death, he did not
abandon his natural compassion for others. When a
student with a problem in his practice went to seek
assistance, he kindly made an effort to discuss the
issue until all doubts had been allayed. All his
disciples received some piece of farewell advice
from him to carry in their hearts forever. Having
been fortunate enough to meet such a supreme
individual and having wholeheartedly accepted him as
their one true refuge, they were confident that they
had not lived their lives in vain. Many of his
senior disciples were able to establish themselves
firmly in the principles of Dhamma. By virtue of
their own spiritual development, they also became
ãcariyas passing on the teaching to their students,
thus assuring that the Supreme Noble wealth of the
Lord Buddha does not disappear. Many of his more
junior disciples are still alive today serving as a
strong base for the sãsana into the foreseeable
future. Though they may not openly demonstrate it,
many of them possess excellent Dhamma credentials.
Every one of these monks was inspired by the magic
quality of Ãcariya Mun’s compassionate teaching.

As a teacher, Ãcariya Mun was
unrivaled in his ability to help develop the
spiritual potential of members of
the lay community,
enabling them to grasp the significance of Dhamma
and the basic moral principles of cause and effect,
which are universal principles governing the world.
Spiritual development means developing the one
factor that is absolutely central to the well-being
of the world. The world comes to ruin only if
people’s spiritual values come to ruin first. When
spiritual values deteriorate, then everything people
do becomes just another means of destroying the
world and subverting Dhamma. When people’s hearts
are well trained in spiritual values, their speech
and actions become an effective means of promoting
the world’s prosperity. So inevitably Dhamma
flourishes as well. How could people who have
sincerely developed the way of Dhamma in their
hearts possibly turn around and act ruinously,
showing no compunction? Such behavior would be
unnatural to them –
unless of course they simply memorize the
principles of Dhamma, reciting them by heart without
ever making an effort to develop those spiritual
values within their hearts.

Ãcariya Mun
invariably made a deep impression on the people who
met him. Those who sincerely respected him were
willing to offer their lives to him –
unconditionally. Whether it be matters of good or
matters of evil, once such concerns are embraced and
taken to heart they then exert a powerful influence
on that person, one no other force in the world can
match. Were this not the case, people would not have
the self-assurance to act upon their intentions – be
they good, or evil. It is precisely because they
take such matters to heart that they can act boldly
upon them. Having assumed this attitude, the outcome
becomes inevitable.

This was especially evident among
practicing monks who revered Ãcariya Mun. By taking
the Dhamma that he taught to heart, those monks
became uncompromising in their respect for him. The
power of their belief in him was so strong that they
would even dare to sacrifice their precious lives
for him. But although they could have given their
lives without difficulty, their strong faith in him
was never sacrificed. It was this extraordinary
magnetic quality he possessed that so attracted
people and engendered such veneration in them, both
during his lifetime and after he passed away.

As for myself, well, I have always
been a rather hopeless individual, so my sentiments
are very different from most people’s. Although over
twenty years has elapsed since his death, to me it
feels as if Ãcariya Mun passed away only yesterday.
And though his body died at that time, his citta
seems never to have passed away. I feel he is always
here with me, helping me continually.

AS A CONCLUDING CHAPTER to his
biography, I would like to present a representative
sample of the teachings Ãcariya Mun gave, beginning
with comments he made at the onset of his final
illness and ending with his last instructions to the
monks – teachings which have continued to make a
profound impression on me ever since. The Dhamma he
presented to the monks at the start of his illness
took the form of a warning to them that the illness
had begun a process of uprooting the very source of
his physical existence, including all his bodily
functions, which were destined to steadily
deteriorate, break down, and finally fail
altogether. He began:

“I have been investigating matters
concerning the life and death of this body for
nearly sixty years now and I have found nothing in
the physical khandha that is worthy of the least
attachment or that would cause me to regret its
passing away. I ceased to have doubts about such
things the moment I realized Dhamma’s Supreme Truth.
Whether they exist inside of the body or outside of
it, all material substances are composed of the same
physical elements. They gradually break down and
decompose with each passing day, and thus are always
reverting back to their fundamental natural state.
Although we imagine the body belonging to us, in
truth it is just a conglomeration of physical
elements that are commonly found everywhere on this
earth.

“What most concerns me now is my
students who have come here from all over the
country. I worry that you will not have gained a
firm basis of Dhamma in your hearts before I pass
away. That is why I have always warned you against
being complacent about the kilesas, which are the
source of an endless procession of births and
deaths. Never assume that the kilesas are
insignificant, or somehow harmless, and thus fail to
tackle them seriously while the time is still right.
Once death overtakes you, it will be impossible to
take any action against them. Don’t say I didn’t
warn you!

“Every human being and animal on this
planet suffers dukkha as a matter of course. Don’t
misunderstand the cause of this suffering: it is
caused by those very kilesas that you seem to think
are so insignificant and harmless. I have examined
the origins of birth, death and suffering with all
the mindfulness and wisdom at my disposal. Only one
cause induces the hearts of living beings to seek a
place in the realm of birth and death experiencing
various degrees of pain and suffering, and that
cause is the kilesas that people everywhere
overlook. In truth, they are the principal
instigators. All of you who have kilesas ruling over
your hearts, what is your attitude? Do you also
consider them unimportant? If so, then no matter how
long you live under my guidance, you will always be
like the ladle in a pot of delicious stew. If you
want to be able to taste the flavor of that stew,
then you must listen with keen interest to the
Dhamma that I teach you and fully take it to heart.
Don’t act like ladles and obstruct my teaching by
failing to appreciate its value. Otherwise, you will
live and die having nothing of value to show for it.
Which is worse than being animals, whose flesh and
skins are at least of some value when they die.
Heedless people are always worthless – alive or
dead.

“Since this illness began, I have
reminded you constantly that I am slowly dying, day
by day. When a person transcends dukkha he is
perfectly satisfied in every respect, and so he dies
free of all concerns. Forever unblemished, he has
nothing further to attain, for nothing is missing
from his sense of perfect satisfaction. But someone
who dies while under the influence of the kilesas,
which are never satisfied, will find the same sense
of dissatisfaction clinging to his heart wherever he
is reborn. The stronger the influence of the kilesas,
the more intense the dukkha he will suffer. Don’t
imagine this or that realm of existence will be a
pleasant, joyful place to be reborn in when you die.
Such thoughts are merely an indication that craving
and dissatisfaction are disturbing your hearts
before you’ve even died. Which means you are still
unwilling to view the kilesas as enemies that
constantly stir up trouble in your hearts. With that
attitude, where will you ever find happiness and
contentment? If you cannot rid yourselves of the
desire to be reborn in the future, then I am at a
loss as to how I can help you.

“Monks who have yet to develop the
calm and concentration of samãdhi within themselves
should not expect to find peace and contentment in
the world; instead, they will encounter only the
frustration that is hidden inside their agitated
hearts. You must hurry to remedy this situation now
by developing an effective means to counter such
agitation. By being diligent, courageous, and
persevering in your struggle with the kilesas –
which are always antagonistic to Dhamma – you will
soon discover the peaceful nature of genuine
tranquillity arising in your hearts. With
persistence, results will come quickly; especially
when compared with the endless amount of time you
have spent wandering through saÿsãra from one type
of existence to another.

“The teachings of the Lord Buddha are
all designed for the purpose of helping those who
believe what he taught to gradually transcend dukkha,
step by step, until they finally reach the stage
where they will never again return to this world of
repeated birth and death. Those who desire not to
return to birth must analyze every aspect of
existence in the entire universe, from the grossest
to the most subtle, in terms of the three basic
characteristics of all existence – anicca, dukkha,
and anattã – and use wisdom to thoroughly
investigate each aspect until all doubts have been
eliminated. Once that happens, even strong
attachments that are difficult to break will
evaporate and disappear in the blink of an eye. All
that’s needed to cut through those oppressive doubts
is wisdom that is sharp and incisive. In all the
three worlds of existence there is no more
effective, up-to-date means for confronting the
kilesas than the combination of mindfulness and
wisdom. The Lord Buddha and all the Arahants
employed mindfulness and wisdom to counteract every
kind of kilesa – no other means was used. The Lord
Buddha himself endorsed the unrivaled supremacy of
mindfulness and wisdom as weapons for combating the
kilesas. This is not meant to belittle the value of
other spiritual qualities, but they perform an
auxiliary role – like provisions of food used to
support and maintain the fighting strength of
soldiers in battle. It is the soldiers and their
weapons, however, that are indispensable to the war
effort. By soldiers, I mean those who are absolutely
determined never to retreat in the face of the
kilesas and thus slide back into the mire of birth
and death where these defilements can ridicule them
once more. The premier weapons of choice are
mindfulness and wisdom. Being effective at every
level of combat, they should always remain close at
hand.

“The points in the course of your
practice where the citta gets stuck, are the points
you must examine fearlessly without concern that the
intensity of your efforts to dismantle the cycle of
rebirth will somehow prove fatal. When you face the
moment of death, I want you to die victorious. Don’t
allow yourself to die defeated or else you will
continue to suffer for a long time to come. You must
make every effort to fight on until saÿsãra becomes
a completely deserted place. Try it! Is it really
possible that saÿsãra will become deserted, due to
lack of deluded people taking birth there, simply
because you put forth effort in your practice? Why
are you so worried about returning to occupy a place
in saÿsãra? You haven’t even died, yet every thought
arising in your mind is directed toward reserving a
future existence for yourself. Why is that? Whenever
you reduce your efforts in practice, you are
automatically working hard to reserve a place in the
continuing cycle of birth and death. Consequently,
birth and death are always bound up with your heart
and your heart is always bound up with dukkha.

“I have made every effort to teach
you the way of Dhamma, candidly revealing everything
that you should know about the Four Noble Truths and
the Four Foundations of Mindfulness. I have withheld
only certain aspects of Dhamma dealing with specific
kinds of psychic perception that are not directly
connected with enlightenment, such as those special
insights that I have alluded to from time to time. I
am always glad to listen to anyone who experiences
such perceptions and assist them in any way I can.
Once I have died, it will be very difficult to find
someone who can advise you on these matters. You
must keep in mind that the practice of Dhamma
differs considerably from the theory of Dhamma.
Those who have not actually attained samãdhi and
paññã, or magga, phala, and Nibbãna, cannot possibly
teach others the correct way to reach these
attainments.”

Ãcariya Mun
concluded his
pacchima
ovãda by emphasizing the importance of
sankhãradhamma, just as the Lord Buddha had done in
his final instructions to the community of monks
prior to his Parinibbãna. Ãcariya Mun began by
paraphrasing the Buddha’s instructions: Monks, heed
my words. All sankhãra dhammas are subject to
change. They arise, evolve, decay, and then pass
away, so you should always remain diligent in your
practice. He then explained the essential meaning of
this passage.

“The word ‘sankhãra’ in the Lord
Buddha’s pacchima ovãda refers to the highest Dhamma.
He gathered together all conditioned things in the
word ‘sankhãra’, but he wished at that time to
emphasize the internal sankhãras above all others.
11 He wanted the monks to see that these sankhãras
are important because they are samudaya – the cause
of dukkha. They are the factors that disturb the
citta, causing it to languish in a state of delusion
where it never experiences a tranquil, independent
existence. If we investigate such sankhãras – being
all of our thoughts and concepts from the most
vulgar to the most refined – until we fully
comprehend their true nature, they will then come to
an end. When sankhãras come to an end, nothing
remains to disturb the citta. Although thoughts and
ideas do still arise to some extent, they merely
follow the natural inclination of the khandhas –
khandhas that are now pure and unadulterated. They
no longer conceal any form of kilesa, taõhã, or
avijjã. Comparing it to sleep, it is equivalent to a
deep, dreamless sleep. In this case, the citta is
referred to a ‘výpasama citta’; that is, a tranquil
citta completely devoid of all remnants of the
kilesas. The citta of the Lord Buddha and those of
all the Arahants were of just such a nature, so they
harbored no aspirations to attain anything further.
The moment the kilesas are extinguished within the
citta, a state of purity arises in their place. This
is called sa-upãdisesa-nibbãna. That is the precise
moment when the attainment of Arahant occurs – an
absolutely amazing pure essence of mind for which no
comparison can be found in all the three worlds of
existence.”

Upon reaching this point, Ãcariya Mun
stopped speaking and retired to rest. From that day
onward he never gave another discourse to the monks,
which is why I have called it his pacchima ovãda. It
is a very fitting note on which to conclude his
biography.

AS THE AUTHOR, I have done my utmost
to write a thorough and accurate account of Ãcariya
Mun’s life. I feel it to be a once-in-a-lifetime
endeavor. I have written down the whole story as
meticulously and as eloquently as I possibly could.
Should there be any inaccuracies in what I’ve
written, I trust you will forgive my shortcomings. I
have spent a considerable amount of time attempting
to record the story of his life from beginning to
end. But even if I were to continue writing for
another three years, I could never encompass it all.
Although I would like to write as much as possible
for the sake of my readers who never had a chance to
meet him, my ability to recollect and transcribe the
events comprising Ãcariya Mun’s life has now been
exhausted. Still, many people may now read his
biography, learning how he practiced and trained
himself from the day of his ordination to the day he
passed away. At least the story of his life is
available to the interested reader, even though it
is by no means a complete picture of Ãcariya Mun and
his extraordinary achievements.

In compiling this biography, I have
tried very hard to select only those aspects of his
life and teaching that I felt would be of greatest
benefit to the average reader. At the same time, I
have omitted any aspect that I felt would serve no
definite purpose. Of the relevant material which was
collected to write this book, approximately seventy
percent has been included in the text you’ve just
read. That much I felt was neither too deep nor too
confusing for the reader’s understanding. The
remaining thirty percent was excluded because I felt
those aspects of Ãcariya Mun’s life and teaching
would be difficult to present in a way that’s easy
to read and understand. I was concerned they
wouldn’t benefit the reader enough to justify their
inclusion. Thus they were omitted, though often with
some reluctance. Even then, I’m not wholly
comfortable with some of the things I have included
in the book, though they do faithfully represent the
truth of what Ãcariya Mun said. I managed to resist
the urge to exclude them, however; yet, I could not
bring myself to write about certain other matters,
and for this reason they were left out.

Were I to attempt to describe each
and every facet of Ãcariya Mun’s knowledge and
understanding, I would feel ashamed of my own
inadequacies in this regard – ashamed of being a
forest monk in appearance only, a phony who has
somehow encroached upon the sãsana. Through my own
ignorance I might inadvertently damage his excellent
reputation, which should be preserved at all costs.
Although I stated at the beginning of the book that
I intended to write in the style of the Venerable
Ãcariyas of antiquity, who transcribed the lives of
the Lord Buddha and his Arahant disciples, I can’t
help feeling embarrassed that I am not so gifted as
they were. Nevertheless, I have done the best I
could. Should this somewhat imperfect biography fall
short of your expectations, please be so kind as to
forgive my shortcomings.

Were I to attempt to describe each
and every facet of Ãcariya Mun’s knowledge and
understanding, I would feel ashamed of my own
inadequacies in this regard – ashamed of being a
forest monk in appearance only, a phony who has
somehow encroached upon the sãsana. Through my own
ignorance I might inadvertently damage his excellent
reputation, which should be preserved at all costs.
Although I stated at the beginning of the book that
I intended to write in the style of the Venerable
Ãcariyas of antiquity, who transcribed the lives of
the Lord Buddha and his Arahant disciples, I can’t
help feeling embarrassed that I am not so gifted as
they were. Nevertheless, I have done the best I
could. Should this somewhat imperfect biography fall
short of your expectations, please be so kind as to
forgive my shortcomings.

It is appropriate now to bring this
biography to a close. If the account I have written
contains any inaccuracies or misrepresentations, I
respectfully ask forgiveness of Ãcariya Mun who,
like a loving father, gave birth to my faith in
Dhamma. May the power of his all-encompassing love
and compassion always bring peace and happiness to
people everywhere. May you all have sufficient faith
and resources of merit to follow in his footsteps,
practicing the Dhamma that he taught to your
ultimate satisfaction. May Thailand enjoy continual,
uninterrupted prosperity and remain free of enemies
and natural disasters. And may the Thai people
remain untroubled by misfortune and hardship,
forever experiencing happiness and contentment in
harmony with the Buddhasãsana.

Should my presentation of Ãcariya
Mun’s life be deemed inappropriate in any way,
either in terms of the subject matter or the style
in which it was written, I do sincerely apologize. I
hope you will make allowances for my forest
background, for it’s difficult to transform the
natural character of a forest monk into something
eloquent and sophisticated. Though I have attempted
to present every aspect of Ãcariya Mun’s life in a
suitable, accurate fashion, I must confess that my
own disorderly tendencies are hopelessly incurable.
In writing a book of this nature, there will
inevitably be some inconsistencies that may confuse
the reader – which is why I have been at pains to
stress my shortcomings.

Before the life history of Ãcariya
Mun could come to a successful conclusion in my own
mind, I had to carefully contemplate the whole
matter for a long time. This prompted me to go
around recording the recollections of many ãcariyas
who have lived with him at various times in the
past. To this I added my own memories of what he
told me about his life. It took me many years to
gather all the strands of his story and weave them
into a creditable whole. Be that as it may, my often
confusing style of writing, plus the fact that so
many events appear out of sequence, will probably
confound the reader.

I accept full responsibility for
everything in this biography. As I feel somewhat
guilty about my own incompetence in this endeavor, I
shall be glad to entertain your critical comments.
At the same time, I shall be pleased to receive any
complimentary remarks
with the
satisfaction of knowing that this book has
been of some small benefit to those who read it. May
all the merit gained from this work be fully
credited to the readers and to those who helped to
make the book possible. Should I deserve a portion
by virtue of being the author, I ask to share it
with every one of you who venerate the memory of
Ãcariya Mun. May we all share this merit equally.

Finally, may the Supreme Merit of the
Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha – plus the great
virtue of Ãcariya Mun and whatever virtue I may
possess – may everything sacred in the world watch
over and protect all my readers as well as the
editors of Srisapada Publishing. The folks at
Srisapada worked tirelessly in their efforts to
bring this biography to fruition, struggling to
print a manuscript that was sent to them in numerous
installments. Never once did they complain about the
difficulties and inconveniences associated with this
project or with any of the other issues on which I
requested their assistance. May they all be free of
sickness and misfortune, enjoying only prosperity
and contentment now and in the future. And may their
aspirations in the sphere of Dhamma be fulfilled to
their ultimate satisfaction.